


Happy Birthday, Dad

by MerryMagicalMenagerie



Series: Family Moments [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Harry Potter, Canon Compliant, Canon Related, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Gen, Harry Potter's Birthday, Post-Hogwarts, fightfortherightsofhouseelves's Happy Birthday Harry Writing Fest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:28:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25646584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MerryMagicalMenagerie/pseuds/MerryMagicalMenagerie
Summary: Harry Potter was prepared to spend his birthday alone, once he realized that it was today, until an interesting envelope came in the Owl Post along with the usual mail.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Ginny Weasley
Series: Family Moments [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859281
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	Happy Birthday, Dad

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work published anywhere! Please review and let me know if you enjoy it! I plan to write more, especially if others like it. Shout out to fightfortherightsofhouseelves on Tumblr for setting up the "Happy Birthday Harry Writing Fest" and actually getting my butt in gear to write! Follow me on Tumblr: MerryMagicalMenagerie.

Harry woke before the sun had risen. He never slept as well when Ginny was away but he sleeps nonetheless. Gone are the nights of endless nightmares, insomnia, and fear of what the night could bring. After a groaning stretch, Harry smiled as he twisted the golden band on his left ring finger as he had done every morning since the day after his marriage to Ginny Weasley. Potter! He thinks. Still wondering how he could be so lucky, Harry ambled out of the bedroom to take a shower and officially start his day. 

Deciding to not yet dress in his Auror uniform as he needn't leave for a few hours yet, Harry donned fresh loungewear and went to make breakfast. The kitchen of Grimmauld Place was no longer dark and cold, but full of light and warmth. A fresh coat of clean, bright paint and the perspective of a new owner made the whole home happy as if it weren’t once the home of such sadness and heartbreak. The delightful clink of new cookware and the delicious smell of bacon filled the room as Kreacher entered. 

“Master, here is the mail from the Owl Post.” Kreacher croaked, setting the mail next to Harry’s waiting plate. Still showing apprehension to his newfound freedoms and arrangements, Kreacher retreated to his own quarters after accepting Harry’s offer of coffee. 

Sighing at the old house elf’s reluctance, Harry sat down to review his mail before eating. The day’s edition of the Daily Prophet was largely ignored as he would hear the bulk of it at work anyway. He put the newest edition of Quidditch Times at the end of the table so he’d remember to put it in his bag to read at lunch. An unassuming letter came from Ginny and Harry knew better than to open it before work because he’d surely be late after reading the contents with which he was positive to include a rather risqué photograph. There was also a nice stack of cards from his friends and family—he’d forgotten today was his birthday. The days muddled together when Ginny wasn’t home. He knew the days of the week only by his work schedule. He collected them all in a neat pile to read after work, knowing he’d need a PickMeUp at the end of his long shift. One envelope in particular, however, made him stop. 

The envelope was crudely put together with glue and purple craft paper. It was a miracle it didn’t fall apart in flight. “HARRY” was written across the front in huge, shaky letters. A soft smile formed at the corners of Harry’s mouth as he took a drink from his mug before opening the childish envelope. He knew exactly where this came from. 

The whole card was made by hand. The paper wasn’t folded neatly in half as one would expect, one side greatly overlapped the other. The front of the card was adorned with what Harry could only assume was a green dragon wearing a yellow party hat. Inside, there was a folded-up drawing that showed a line of stick people with their names atop their heads. GRAN. ME. HARRY. GINNY. Underneath them were the words “MY FAMILY.” There were clouds in the sky that featured a big, bright sun in the corner and what Harry thought were owls. Smiling ear to ear now, Harry folded the drawing and sat it on top of the magazine, vowing to pin it to the board at his desk. 

Returning to the card, Harry read the rudimentary handwritten note, with a few misspellings and too large, blue crayon writing: 

I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY WITH CHOKOLATE CAKE AND LOTS OF PREZENTS 

YOR THE BESTEST EVER 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD 

I LOVE YOU 

-TEDDY LUPIN 

Harry was late for work, despite not reading Ginny’s letter. He told his partner he was simply tired and choked on his coffee in his hasty apparation, not wanting to let him know that he had actually sat at his kitchen table and cried, for how long he didn’t really know, after reading Teddy’s letter. 

Dad. How was Harry supposed to handle the new moniker? He certainly never mentioned it to Teddy in that way as he figured the difference between a father and godfather were a bit much for a five-year-old to understand. Everyone called him Harry in any case. Harry called himself Harry. Not having Ginny home to talk about the new development left him at the kitchen table to process his emotions alone. He’d simply have to talk to Andromeda and Teddy on the weekend when Teddy was due to stay over. 

As much as it hurt his heart to think he was actually replacing Remus in Teddy’s eyes, the one feeling Harry could understand was the immense love he has for this little boy. After some consideration, and a quick letter to Ginny, Harry concluded that the line “Happy Birthday Dad” made him happy most of all the other emotions he felt in that moment. 

This was the best birthday Harry had yet and would be among the best of his entire life.


End file.
